Chicago’s City Council Steps up to Fight Coal Pollution

This morning, one hundred people gathered at Chicago’s City Hall to announce the reintroduction of the Clean Power Ordinance. This precedent-setting city law would require Edison International’s Fisk and Crawford coal plants to drastically reduce soot and CO2 emissions – forcing either costly retrofits or the closure of these aging plants.

While press conferences aren’t always the most exciting affairs, today’s announcement marks a major milestone in the effort to hold the coal industry accountable for its toxic legacy.

When the Clean Power Ordinance was originally introduced last year, only nine Aldermen stepped up as co-sponsors. Today, 31 Aldermen have put their name behind this bill, just a few votes shy of a two-thirds majority in City Council. That didn’t happen by accident. Because of the tireless work of citizen-activists, tackling coal pollution is now a priority issue in Chicago.